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THE "GOLD DUST TWINS" AND
A SEASON TO REMEMBER
...
1975
WORLD SERIES, GAME #2
The Reds come from behind in the ninth
October 12,
1975 ...
The Reds waited until their final out in the ninth inning
before bouncing back and scoring the two runs, that gave them a 3 to
2 come-from-behind victory, and tie the World Series at one game
apiece.
An infield single by Dave Concepcion got the tying run in and a line
drive double to left-center by Ken Griffey got the winning run home
as the Reds struck with shocking suddenness. Until the ninth the Reds
were playing with their backs to the wall, but then Johnny Bench went
to right field for a double, to start the winning rally.
Bill Lee hadn't started a game since September 19th and hadn't won
since the last week in August. He tried five times to win his 18th
game of the season and then was relegated to the bullpen.
Surprisingly named to start the game, Lee gave the Reds more of what
Luis Tiant gave them yesterday. He retired the Reds in rapid
succession in the first three innings.
The Red Sox meanwhile, shot out of the gate at Jack Billingham,
another surprise starter. Cecil Cooper opened with a double and Denny
Doyle slapped a single to the right side, that put runners on first
and third. On a comebacker by Carl Yastrzemski, Cooper dashed off
third base and suddenly stopped. Concepcion saw this and fired home,
trapping Cooper in a rundown that proved costly to the Sox, because
Carlton Fisk lined a single to right to get Yaz home, making it a 1-0
game.
But the Bid Red Machine had gone 12 innings without scoring a run and
was so frustrated, that at one point, Joe Morgan tried to get on
first saying one of Lee's pitches brushed his uniform. The umpires
didn't buy it, but Morgan was walked in the however, becoming the
Reds first baserunner in the fourth. Bench, who was 1-for-13 in the
playoffs and hitless in the World Series in his first five times at
bat, lined a single over second base, chasing Morgan over to third.
Lee got Tony Perez to hit a high bouncer back to him, high enough for
Morgan to score, and the game was tied.
In the sixth inning Fisk pegged out Joe Morgan on an attempted steal,
something that had been accomplished only ten times by National
League catchers in 78 tries this season. Then Fred Lynn made a diving
catch to get Bench. As if inspired by Fisk and Lynn, the Sox pushed
across the go-ahead run in the sixth. It transpired with Carl
Yastrzemski's single to right and then Concepcion bobbled Fisk's shot
into the hole. So, with runners on first and second, Rico Petrocelli
drilled a single up the middle and the Sox were up, 2 to 1.
The run looked big as Lee pitched into the ninth brilliantly. He was
three outs from putting the Sox up 2-0 in the Series, but 24 times
this season, the Reds had come back to win in their final at bat.
Bench lined a hit down the right field line for a double to start the
inning. As Darrell Johnson had done numerous times, Dick Drago was
called upon to finish the job. He got Perez on a bouncer to Rick
Burleson, but Bench made it over to third. Drago next got Foster on a
pop to short left that Yaz caught behind short, holding Bench at
third. That put it all up to Concepcion. Drago had a 1-1 count and
Concepcion got his bat on the third pitch and bounced it over the
mound where Doyle made a great back-handed stop, but couldn't throw
him out and couldn't keep Bench from scoring the tying run. Griffey's
line drive to left-center scored Concepcion, who had stolen second,
allowing the Reds to steal one from the Sox. |
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